Battle Creek Letters

Re-copied 7/15/28 H—51—1904 by L. F. W.

Sanitarium, Napa Co. California

November 28, 1903

Dear Brother Haskell,

I have recently received two letters from Dr. Kellogg. He strongly urges me to come to Battle Creek, offering to pay all the expenses of the journey. He thinks that I will be favorably impressed if I can see for myself the conditions existing in Battle Creek. BCL 101.1

But I do see matters for myself. Night after night scenes are presented before me that reveal a strange condition of things. While Dr. Kellogg has made some admissions, he has not yet gone to the root of the evils for which he has been responsible. BCL 101.2

At the General Conference held in Oakland, Dr. Kellogg gave an exhibition of himself that revealed the spirit that controlled him. Long before that meeting he was presented to me as a man who understood not the spirit that controlled him. The enemy of souls had cast upon him a spell of deception. BCL 101.3

Some of the recent testimonies I have written and have given them to Elder A.T. Jones, asking him to read them to the Doctor; for I was instructed that if they were placed in the hands of Dr. Kellogg, he might be led to put a wrong construction upon some of the words. This instruction was given to me at the time of the meeting held in Battle Creek a few weeks before the Review and Herald Office was burned. BCL 101.4

At the time of the General Conference in Oakland, I was forbidden by the Lord to have any conversation with Dr. Kellogg. During that meeting a scene was presented to me, representing evil angels conversing with the Doctor, and imbuing him with their spirit, so that at times he would say and do things, the nature of which he could not understand. He seemed powerless to escape from the snare. At other times he would appear to be rational. BCL 101.5

I was instructed to see Dr. Paulson, and talk with him concerning the issue of the Sanitarium bonds. God forbids that His people should be largely drawn upon to pay for the erection of the mammoth sanitarium that has been put up at Battle Creek. I was also instructed that it would be difficult for some to draw out the money they had invested in bonds, when they would wish to invest it in some needy field. I bore this message at the General Conference, but it does not seem to have had the influence it should have had. BCL 101.6

At the sanitarium in Battle Creek, the students and helpers have been encouraged by the managers to write to their parents and friends and tell of wonderful things being done in the institution, while matters were being presented to me in a far different light. BCL 102.1

I have used my pen day and night. For months I have seldom been able to sleep after twelve or one o'clock. I have borne a clear, decided testimony all the way through. BCL 102.2

At the time of the meeting held in Washington, I was compelled to bear very straight testimonies to Dr. Paulson and to others. Since then I have received very encouraging letters from Dr. Paulson. BCL 102.3

Dr. Paulson and others have thought that the strange sentiments to be found in the book, “Living Temple” are sustained by my writings. Some expressions, taken independent of their proper connection have been used to sustain this idea, even as many take statements from the Bible from their setting, and use them to testify to error. This is a scheme of Satan to deceive. I have written to Elder Jones and to Elder Tenney that they are in danger of being influenced by the sentiments found in “Living Temple”. BCL 102.4

The Lord has greatly honored Dr. Kellogg as a physician. If he will now conduct himself aright, the Lord will pardon his mistakes. If he could but realize what burdens he has brought upon me both before and since my return to America, he would change his course of action. I mean to do all in my power to save his soul. BCL 102.5